Wrench



T. D. CURRIE Jan. 24, 1933.

WRENCH Filed Aug. 25. 1952 INVENTOR.

ATTORN Y Patented Jan. 24, 1933 120m 1). comma, or .nnrnorr, mcnrenn wnmmn Application filed August '25, 1932. Serial m5. 630,441

The invention relates to wrenches of the character shown in Figures 3 and 4 of my prior application Serial #510,26&, filed Jannary 21,1931. I j The invention has for an object to ei iect improvement inthe function of the s ringjaw wrench, to the end that ronndwor may be gripped in a novel way by a quick ad ustment, particularly in'wrenches for special work. p I

It is afurther important purpose to present a wrench which will have the advantages of safeguarding against liability of permanent strain of the work as stated in the ob ects and advantages set forth in my prior application, As in my first application, I obtain these functions in my wrench by so constructing it that compression of the work will be checked befbre the critical strain of the work is reached when the wrench is designed and proportioned roperly'to fit the characteristics of the wor involved. I

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention residing in the construction, arrangement and proportions of parts will be understood from the following description, in which, 7 v

Fig. 1 is a view of a preferred embodlment of the invention, showing the wrench loosely en aged upon the work, I

ig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing the wrench in gripping engagement upon the work. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the tool. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line H of ig. 5 is a side elevation of a'tool especially useful in removing a rin' embodied 1n a particula'r construction 0' valve, when my wrench is to be used thereon.

There is illustrated a tool specially adapt ed to a specific use, namely, the disassemly of certain automatic flush valves. This tool consists of a bar 9 of resilient metal having a hexagon socket wrench 10 at one end for removing the casing cap of such a valve, with a pry tooth 11 rojected longitudinally from the outer side or liftingdiaphragms; while on one edge next the socket 10 there are formed spaced teeth 12 inclined toward each other and spaced so as to receive thereunder slidably two mutually adjacent spacer or guide flanges orwings customarily formed on the stem portion of a certain type of valve. A lifter spur 13 is'also formed on the edge of the tool opposite head coincident with the longitudinal axis of the head. The outer edge faces 18 .of the head where it begins to broaden are approximately concentric with and exceedingly close to the opening16, for a substantial distance, forming an attenuated flexing part 19, while from a radius line at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of the handle, the edge faces are continued tangentially and parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the handle as at 20 forming a heavy rigid broadened p'art. This broadened part 20 extendsa substantial distan-0e longitudinally beyond the opening 16 and is slitt-ed longitudinally in a plane at right angles tothe'major plane of the head as at 27 forming two rigid jaw heads 21 and the teeth 12, adapted "for insertion in the eye member on a certain valve to lift it from place.

having angles or heel parts 33 form-ed by the intersection of the sides of the opening 16 with the inner faces of the jaw heads at the slit; 27'.' One of these-jaws is provide-d with a threaded opening therethrough, the axis of which isin the medial plane of the jaws and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tool,'while the otherjaw is provided with a smooth bore 22 oflarge'r diameter alined with the threaded opening. "Screwed home in' the threaded opening there ,is a bolt23, the head "of which isflocked tight'against the outer face of the jaw, and the shank 2 1 is-ex tended loosely through the larger bore 22 and beyond, receiving a wing nut 25 on its extremity which may be screwed down against the aw to compress the two.

of the valve beingaccommodated in-the rab- 7 bet. V i

The function of this last describedform of the tool is similar to that disclosed in Figures 3 and 4 of my said prior applicatiombut with some advantages in increased effectiveness of the functions. Thus, the concentric narrowed part 19 permits more free flexing of the aws inward at their outer ends, and the continuous formof the opening 16 assures-more positlve peripheral support of the work against radial strain throughout. This will oppose indentation. by inbending of the part of the work engaged by the angles 33, 1 i

The slit 27 may be made of various widths, but in one form where the aperture 16 is made to receive a brass pipe or nipple of inch external diameter and diameteiy the slot as cut has been inch in widthbetween the jaws. With this proportion, when the nut is screwed up until the two jaws 2l'converge and coengage at their extremities, there is no liability of damage to thework by distortion, and the penetration of the angles 33' is insufficient to mar the work or if threaded, to prevent ready engagement of unions or couplings thereon.

Experience, or requirement of use ,may dictate a variation of the proportions of the tool, as will be appreciated.

In use, the work being engaged manually in the opening 16 and the wing nut 25 screwed tight, the work is clamped bya double func tion of the tool.

Thus, when the nut 25 is screwedup,,the work is first tightly comjacent that diameter of the opening trans;

around the work. As soon as narrow, firmly, the further compression pressed between the rounded surfaces of the opening 16 which is thus constricted snugly the lateral, concentric parts 19 engage the work of the work is opposed, and then they serve as fulcrums on the work, on which the jaw portions 21 7 then pivot, so that the extremities of the jaws incline quite pronouncedly toward each other (finallyv contacting if the nut is screwed home) and the angles are consequently caused to be presented inward, as indicated inFigure 4. This pivoting of the jaw 'heads' adverse tothe medial lines of the jaw heads is manifest also in the absence of work be tween the jaws. V l V V In the particular valve for whichthetool isdesigned, the valve head 38 is a disc hav ingformedintegrally and concentric therewith the nipple stem 37 which is to'be engaged in and gripped in the opening 16 of the flange and ring of the inch internal retaining ring 40 with interiorlugs 41, by

replaceable rubber facing 42 is held For removing this ring, when which a thereunder.

the stem of the valve is engaged in my tool as described, I provide asimpleflat bar 43 having transverse arcuate grooves 44: formed across one side on a common center and of the same radius as the flange of the valve head, near oneend of the bar. Opposite sides of 7 valve head being adjusted in respective grooves of thisbar, the bar may be operated as a wrench to un-l screw the ring. I:

By making the slitin the tool of a g Width proportionate to the nature of the work to be operated on, the closing action of. the jaws especially,the linalinbendin g describedimay be limited so that liability of strain of the work isavoided, as explained in my prior appl1cation., In the use of the tool, the extremities of the jaws are'brought into contact after suflicient gripping action is attained, stopping vfurther compression of the work, or tendency of the heel parts at the.

opening to gouge the surface engaged, f i

It is important tonote that in this device the degree of impingement or penetration of the'angles 33 of the work, expected in; the action of wrenches or vises, in the work by local depression, of a'portion under the angles ,3 isop'posed by the com-I plete peripheral s sides of the opening 16 an the communicatioili' of radiallymanifest arch stresses to the too." t 5 While the toolIillustrated has" threads in the opening 16, it may be adapted'to other work byomitting the threads orotherwise forming-the work-engaging faces, I

Iclaim: i K

1. A wrench comprising an elongated body of resilient metal, elongated to provide a handle and having an opening therethrough to receive snugly the work to be held, the material of the. body being thinned adjacent the sides of the opening transversely of the body, and being slittedon a radius; between'the thinned parts at oneside th'e'main' wall ofthe. opening being otherwise continuous, the .ma terial of the body beingfextended beside the slit a distance forming non-flexing jaw heads Pr pe upport of the "work by the is of very slight extent radially V V as'compared to what'm'ig ht be teeth Ord na and the tendency vto crush} of exceeding-length beyond the opening, and

for a one-wayslot'defining the jaws formed in the material of the two of their length forming tersections of the opening and jaws, the parts adjacent the diameter of the opening'transjaws intermediately verse to the body being weakened and made i more flexible adjacent the opening. 7

3. A hand tool of the character described consisting of a handle bar portion having a broadened head, a work receiving opening being formed through the head, the sides of the broadened part being extended in exceedingly close concentric relation to the opening a distance forming an attenuated highly flexible part of exceeding length, the material of the head being slitted from the opening longitudinally outwardly in one direction only, the material beside the slit on each side being thickened to form rigid jaw head portions and extended an exceeding distance, and

manually operable means coengaged between the jaws for the purpose described.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the said slit is of such width and the jaw heads so elongated that the extremities of said jaw heads coengage by convergence toward the extremities to stop further compression of the work after a maximum predetermined gripping movement.

5. A hand tool for gripping round work consisting of an elongated handle having an enlarged work-receiving head of resilient metal, said head having a work-receiving opening therethrough, the material of the head being severed at one side of the opening by a longitudinal slit arranged and located to form heel angles at the intersections of the sides of the opening with the slit, the head being thickened a substantial distance beside the opening and the slit to form rigid jaw heads, and being also extended beside the slit an exceeding distance; and manual means to compress the jaw heads toward each other coengaged between their extreme portions exceedingly distant from the opening, part of the material bounding the opening adjacent the diameter of the opening transverse to the jaw heads being so reduced that upon operation of the compressing means the jaw heads will pivot inwardly from adjacent said diameter in the absence of work in the opening. I

In testimony whereof, I have aifixed my signature.

THOMAS D. CURBIE.

heel parts at the 1nportion 

